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Journalism of Courage
DEHRA DUN, AUG 17: The Indian Military Academy (IMA) has won the first round in its legal battle with the Forest Research Institute (FRI) here over ownership of a piece of land.
Maj. Veerendra Mohan, Staff Officer (legal) of the IMA, said the Delhi High Court had rejected the writ petition filed by the FRI against theIMA. The local courts had earlier rejected FRI officials’ plea, Maj. Mohan added.
The battle between the two renowned institutions began last year over control of a golf course which was earlier used by officials and cadets ofboth institutions. Last year, FRI published a notice in newspapers stating that the golf course situated on the FRI estate adjoining the IMA was exclusively and solely owned by it as it was part of the reserve forest as per a notification dated December 2, 1942.
The notice said that the golf course was meant for officers and trainees of the FRI and officers and cadets of the IMA had been allowed to use the facility on temporary basis. In retaliation, IMA authorities put up a barrier on the controversial land, which was resented by FRI authorities.
FRI officials maintain that the disputed 58.82-acre land had been granted to the IMA temporarily during the Second World War, and in 1981, an agreement reached between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Environment and Forests had prescribed return of the land to the FRI.
IMA officials deny this, saying that the land, comprising the central training area of the Academy including the golf course, is under the lawful possession of the IMA. FRI officials had alleged that the IMA had started “commercial exploitation” of the golf course which was managed by an IMA-sponsored club known as FRIMA Golf Club. Maj. Mohan has denied that the IMA is charging hefty amounts as membership fee for the golf course.
The FRI took the matter to court, and in the first round the Delhi HighCourt has decided in favour of the IMA.
